1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for and method of gathering information, and more particularly relates to an apparatus for and method of gathering information from the WWW (World Wide Web).
2. Description of the Related Art
If a file described in HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) is obtained by a client terminal from the WWW, it is typically obtained by directly specifying, with an input unit of the client terminal a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of the HTML file which a user desires to obtain. The URL is intended to specify data on the Web by specifying a protocol for a data transfer, a server name, a directory name and a file name.
However, a certain time is needed in order to obtain the HTML file. Thus, it is needed that an information gathering apparatus automatically obtain s the HTML file without the direct operation of a user such that the reduction of a waiting time in the user is realized.
As an example to cope with the request, for example, Japanese Laid Open Patent Application (JP-A-Heisei, 10-143529) proposes a scheme that a user presets an HTML file to be obtained and a time for the HTML file to be obtained and then obtains the HTML file at the preset time.
However, in the above-mentioned conventional technique, it is necessary to preset a schedule in which the URL to be automatically obtained by the user and the time to be obtained is specified. Today, an information gathering apparatus is typically used for automatically obtaining the HTML file. Thus, it is desirable that without the user""s presetting, the HTML file desired by the user is automatically obtained in a background which can not be directly viewed from the user side.
For example, Japanese Laid Open Patent Application (JP-A-Heisei, 11-24982) discloses the following scheme, in order to display the newest Web page at a high speed and reserve an excellent response of a WWW browser. That is, it is provided with: a link table for maintaining a link destination list of a Web page together with a selection frequency, in accordance with a previous history; a table update device for updating a content of the link table when a link is selected; and a page pre-reader for pre-reading a data of URL in which a previous selection frequency is high, in accordance with the content of the link table. Then, a page having a high selection possibility is read into a cache area in advance.
Japanese Laid Open Patent Application (JP-A-Heisei, 10-222541) discloses an apparatus for and a method of pre-loading a web page corresponding to a link specified in HTML as follows. A web browser loads and displays a web page, and reads HTML of this web page, and then identifies an entry of a link marked as a target for the pre-load. Next, the web browser automatically pre-loads another HTML corresponding to the link and a related graphic file to a memory. This automatic pre-load is executed even if a user of the web browser does not select the link. If the user selects its link in succession, the corresponding HTML and the related graphic file can be used from a local memory. Accordingly, a delay in receiving the HTML and the related graphic file become small.
Japanese Laid Open Patent Application (JP-A-Heisei, 11-25104) discloses the following information processor. In a process for retrieving in turn the hierarchical pages such as a WWW browser and the like, an anchor retrieval device retrieves a first non-read anchor by using an instruction from a circle browsing instructor as a trigger. Then, it is controlled so as to access a hyper text of a network at a link destination if there is the non-read anchor and to return back to an original page if there is not the non-read anchor.
The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems of the conventional information gathering apparatus. An object of the present invention is to provide an information gathering apparatus which automatically selects URL from a previous browsing history even if a user does not specify the URL and automatically obtains an HTML file of the thus-obtained URL.
In order to achieve an aspect of the present invention, an information gathering apparatus, includes: a history memory unit storing a plurality of specific URL (Uniform Resource Locator) data specified to be browsed, as a browsing history data; an assigning unit assigning priorities to the plurality of specific URL data based on the browsing history data; a requiring unit generating a request to obtain a HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) file of the specific URL data to which the highest-priority is assigned by the assigning unit; and an HTML obtaining unit obtaining the HTML file corresponding to the request from a WWW (World Wide Web) server in response to the request.
In this case, the requiring unit generates the request at a predetermined time automatically.
Also in this case, the history memory unit stores as the browsing history data a time data indicating a date and time when each of the plurality of specific URL data is specified, in addition to the plurality of specific URL data.
Further in this case, an information gathering apparatus, further includes: a monitoring unit monitoring a state of a radio channel used for a connection to the Internet to generate a monitoring result, and wherein the requiring unit generates the request based on the monitoring result.
In this case, an information gathering apparatus, further includes: a checking unit checking a state of a communication band between the HTML obtaining unit and the WWW server to generate a checking result, and wherein the requiring unit generates the request based on the checking result.
Also in this case, an information gathering apparatus, further includes: a storing unit storing the HTML file obtained by the HTML obtaining unit and a creation data indicating a date and time on which the obtained HTML file is created, and wherein the HTML obtaining unit judges whether or not the HTML file corresponding to the request is stored in the storing unit before obtaining the HTML file corresponding to the request from the WWW server, and when the HTML obtaining unit judges the HTML file corresponding to the request is stored in the storing unit, the HTML obtaining unit checks the creation data of the HTML file corresponding to the request stored in the storing unit to require the WWW server to send a HTML file corresponding to the request of a creation date newer than the checked creation date to the HTML obtaining unit if the WWW server has the HTML file corresponding to the request of the creation date newer than the checked creation date, and wherein the storing unit stores the sent HTML file and the creation data of the sent HTML file.
Further in this case, the history memory unit stores as the browsing history data a period data indicating a time that elapsed after a first URL data of the plurality of specific URL data is specified before a second URL data of the plurality of specific URL data is specified subsequently to the first URL data, in addition to the plurality of specific URL data.
In this case, the history memory unit stores as the browsing history data a number data indicating the number of characters in the HTML file of each of the plurality of specific URL data, in addition to the plurality of specific URL data and the period data.
Also in this case, the history memory unit stores as the browsing history data an update time data indicating a time that elapsed before the HTML file of each of the plurality of specific URL data is updated, in addition to the plurality of specific URL and the time data.
Further in this case, if each of the plurality of specific URL data is browsed n (n is a positive integer) times, the assigning unit searches for a day on which the each specific URL data is browsed of a week each time of the n times and detects a different period indicating a difference between the searched day and a day corresponding to the predetermined time and determines an evaluation value corresponding to the each specific URL data based on the different periods corresponding to the n times of the each specific URL data, and gives a higher priority to the specific URL data having one of a larger value and a smaller value as the evaluation value when assigning the priorities to the plurality of specific URL data.
In this case, if each of the plurality of specific URL data is browsed m (m is a positive integer) times, the assigning unit detects a different time indicating a difference between a present time and a time corresponding to the time data each time of the m times and determines an evaluation value corresponding to the each specific URL data based on the different times corresponding to the m times of the each specific URL data, and gives a higher priority to the specific URL data having one of a larger value and a smaller value as the evaluation value when assigning the priorities to the plurality of specific URL data.
In order to achieve another aspect of the present invention, an information gathering method, includes: (a) storing a plurality of specific URL (Uniform Resource Locator) data specified to be browsed, as a browsing history data; (b) assigning priorities to the plurality of specific URL data based on the browsing history data; (c) generating a request to obtain a HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) file of the specific URL data to which the highest-priority is assigned as the result of the (b) step; and (d) obtaining the HTML file corresponding to the request in response to the request.
In this case, the (c) step includes generating the request at a predetermined time automatically.
Also in this case, the (a) step includes storing as the browsing history data a time data indicating a date and time when each of the plurality of specific URL data is specified, in addition to the plurality of specific URL data.
Further in this case, an information gathering method, further includes: (e) monitoring a state of a radio channel used for a connection to the Internet to generate a monitoring result, and wherein the (c) step includes generating the request based on the monitoring result.
In this case, an information gathering method, further includes: (f) checking a state of a communication band used for a connection to a WWW server to generate a checking result, and wherein the (c) step includes generating the request based on the checking result.
Also in this case, an information gathering method, further includes: (g) storing in a storing unit the HTML file obtained as the result of the (d) step and a creation data indicating a date and time on which the obtained HTML file is created; (h) judging whether or not the HTML file corresponding to the request is stored in the storing unit before the (d) step is performed; (i) checking the creation data of the HTML file corresponding to the request stored in the storing unit when the HTML file corresponding to the request is judged to be stored in the storing unit as the result of the (h) step; and (j) requiring a WWW server to send a HTML file corresponding to the request of a creation date newer than the checked creation date if the WWW server has the HTML file corresponding to the request of the creation date newer than the checked creation date, and wherein the (g) step includes storing in the storing unit the sent HTML file and the creation data of the sent HTML file.
Further in this case, the (a) step includes storing as the browsing history data a period data indicating a time that elapsed after a first URL data of the plurality of specific URL data is specified before a second URL data of the plurality of specific URL data is specified subsequently to the first URL data, in addition to the plurality of specific URL data.
In this case, the (a) step includes storing as the browsing history data a number data indicating the number of characters in the HTML file of each of the plurality of specific URL data, in addition to the plurality of specific URL data and the period data.
Also in this case, the (a) step storing as the browsing history data an update time data indicating a time that elapsed before the HTML file of each of the plurality of specific URL data is updated, in addition to the plurality of specific URL and the time data.
Further in this case, if each of the plurality of specific URL data is browsed n (n is a positive integer) times, the (b) step includes searching for a day on which the each specific URL data is browsed of a week each time of the n times and detecting a different period indicating a difference between the searched day and a day corresponding to the predetermined time and determining an evaluation value corresponding to the each specific URL data based on the different periods corresponding to the n times of the each specific URL data, and giving a higher priority to the specific URL data having one of a larger value and a smaller value as the evaluation value.
In this case, if each of the plurality of specific URL data is browsed m (m is a positive integer) times, the (b) step includes detecting a different time indicating a difference between a present time and a time corresponding to the time data each time of the m times and determining an evaluation value corresponding to the each specific URL data based on the different times corresponding to the m times of the each specific URL data, and giving a higher priority to the specific URL data having one of a larger value and a smaller value as the evaluation value.
In order to achieve still another aspect of the present invention, a computer readable recording medium for recording a program for a process, includes: (a) storing a plurality of specific URL (Uniform Resource Locator) data specified to be browsed, as a browsing history data; (b) assigning priorities to the plurality of specific URL data based on the browsing history data; (c) generating a request to obtain a HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) file of the specific URL data to which the highest-priority is assigned as the result of the (b) step; and (d) obtaining the HTML file corresponding to the request in response to the request.
In this case, a computer readable recording medium for recording a program for a process, further includes: (g) storing in a storing unit the HTML file obtained as the result of the (d) step and a creation data indicating a date and time on which the obtained HTML file is created; (h) judging whether or not the HTML file corresponding to the request is stored in the storing unit before the (d) step is performed; (i) checking the creation data of the HTML file corresponding to the request stored in the storing unit when the HTML file corresponding to the request is judged to be stored in the storing unit as the result of the (h) step; and (j) requiring a WWW server to send a HTML file corresponding to the request of a creation date newer than the checked creation date if the WWW server has the HTML file corresponding to the request of the creation date newer than the checked creation date, and wherein the (g) step includes storing in the storing unit the sent HTML file and the creation data of the sent HTML file.
The present invention achieving the above-mentioned object is characterized in that it comprises: a history memory that stores and keeps a URL information whose obtainment is required and a date and time information as an browsing history; an automatically requiring unit that obtains a URL in accordance with an browsing state from the history memory at a preset time, and then establishes a priority, and further requires to obtain an HTML file from the URL in an order starting from a URL having a higher priority; and an HTML obtaining unit that obtains the HTML file of the URL required by the automatically requiring unit from a WWW server, and then stores in the HTML memory.